>>>> For more pics of today, click here: 2008-07-28 Afternoon After yesterday's biggie-sized practice, and me cutting back to the weekday regimen of just the backend of practice, today flew by. Which is good, because it was hot as hell and that breeze to which I’d grown accustomed was nowhere to be found.
Back to the lower field, and back to shorts and shoulder pads. Shockey, Devery, and Deuce were only wearing shorts and jerseys. I couldn’t really tell, but it looked like Deuce may have been wearing a skin-tight, full-length legging on his left leg.
I walked right up just as a period ended. So…wait for it…[*air horn*] Ok, there we go.
The 11-on-11 started from the 40 going in. They had the lawnmower playclock and actually had the down and yard markers. But since they weren’t in full pads, the yard markers movement proved ambiguous at best. Billy Miller caught a TD in the middle of the endzone on maybe the second play. He’s got some mitts. Drew rolled out and hit a sprinting Lane Moore at the pylon on a super-quick play. And, out of nowhere, Billy Miller again for a TD. It seems the Shockey offense might be forming before our eyes.
Here comes Brunell on the swap to continue TE-mania. Ghent scores a TD on a play that was all YAC. I wouldn’t want to have to tackle him in the open. Have you ever tried kiss an oncoming train? Lance Moore got a second TD by grabing one on the two and simply making an exaggerated step. Palko only got three snaps before… [*air horn*]
[Ipanema LP version]
Back to 11-on-11 with clock & sticks, but this time starting from the 25. The opening play Reggie successfully ran off-tackle. A very interesting play stuck out during this period. Stecker taking a draw up the middle in not odd, but the formation was. No TE and both tackles in a two-point stance. I guess to show pass to the defense. After all, it was a draw. Colston showed his versatility by nabbing a slant in stride for a score, as well as, a double-pumped arch at the pylon that took rebounding skills. I think Brees was using a sand wedge on that one.
Brunell looked great by simply handing off to Chris Barclay #24 – who scored twice. Speaking of which, who is #38? Anyone? Palko made for a dramatic moment by pegging Tree Arrington on a cross at the goal line. At the same time, he took a helmet to the chest knocking him straight to the ground. But he sprung right up, not even flaunting the fact that he held on. Well played. [*air horn*]
[Ipanema single edit]
And now, teams d’especial. No Gramatica, though. Of course, one is the loneliest number. Anyway, one group drilled 2-on-1 by running 20 yards and then turning around to block. Looked like a return wall if I’ve ever seen one. On the other side they worked on the three-man wedge with spotter that I assumed was for punts. You can’t blame me. They’d practiced a traditional full-on wedge at another practice. Little did I know that new special teams coach Greg McMahon is sneaky. The three-man wedge *is* for kickoffs. The “spotter” is the other returner. Ah-ha! This became apparent when the two different drills combined forces for one super drill – or kickoff return practice, if you will. It was KR1 vs. orange mesh helmet covers / lateral golf-cart tires that punt. So this guy took the two most storied return methods (wedge & wall) and combined them for the special team version of surf and turf. McMahon, you’re an evil genius! And sneaky. [*air horn*]
And that was it. They finished up with an extra long team huddle. No conditioning.
Ok, I had my little soapbox moment last night. I don’t know if that was the consensus reaction or what, but today was much different. Now, I was not happy to find out they would be back on the lower field. But after practice, the QBs and a few receivers went through some extra reps. While this was happening, Mark Campbell climbs the embankment and starts signing! Man, what a guy. Then you hear people start shouting that Tim Duckworth, Jahri Evans, and Coach Payton have all jogged across the two upper fields to sign for other folks. Hell, yeah! Meanwhile, the extra reps are done, and here comes Meachum, Brees, and Colston up the embankment. And boy, they should be thankful they did that. As I walking to the parking lot, I saw two buses: Simpson Co. School District, and Jasper Co. School district.
Autograph Props: Campbell, Duckworth, Evans, Payton, Meachum, Brees, and Colston
Oh, I almost forgot! New favorite headwear: Football Pennant (see pics)
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